TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The ‘bodong,’ popularly known as peace pact between two sub-tribes of the province was allegedly severed following the declaration made by one of the involved sub-tribes that the same had already been broken because the other party reportedly refused to submit to an agreement.
An emissary of the Naneng Tribe earlier delivered the ‘gupas’ or the severance notice of their peace pact with the Magnao Tribe just recently which might result in the escalation of hostilities between the members in the coming days.
Both the Naneng and Magnao sub-tribes are situated in the upper portion of the city.
The uncertainty in the peace pact between the 2 sub-tribes reportedly started when one of the members of the Naneng Tribe shot 2 members of the Magnao Tribe that resulted in the death of one and the hospitalization of the other last year.
Peace pact holders and elders from the 2 feuding tribes immediately met to enter into the so-called ‘bodong’ to prevent the further escalation of the conflict.
Under the peace pact agreement, the Naneng Tribe agreed to surrender the suspect who belongs to the tribe to the concerned authorities while the Magnao Tribe should acknowledge what the other tribe has done and accept the so-called ‘papod’ or the manifestation that their peace pact is not severed by agreeing to a settlement to prevent revenge and further killings between the involved tribes.
However, a member of the Naneng Tribe accused the Magnao Tribe of its alleged failure to comply with what was agreed where the latter should accept the manifestation as the same is in accordance with their peace pact.
According to the member of the Naneng Tribe, it is now more than a year that the Magnao Tribe did not yet manifest their willingness to submit to the earlier agreement where it means that the non-acceptance of the manifestation means that the Magnao tribe refuses the proposed settlement and that there is a tendency of a bloody revenge.
The Naneng Tribe member questioned the materiality of the peace pact when the other party referring to the Magnao Tribe did not want the proposed and agreed settlement.
The Naneng tribe member stated that the severance of the peace pact by the holders themselves is intended to protect their fellow tribesmen as they will be fully aware on what to avoid to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that may compromise the safety of life and limb.
Some parties remain optimistic that the brewing conflict will be settled the soonest to prevent whatever worst scenario that may transpire which might again taint the image of the whole province as a peaceful and orderly locality so as not to negate the gains that had already been achieved in terms of growth and development beneficial to the greater interest of the people.
Kalinga Tribes are known for the practice of ‘bodong’ or the so-called peace pact to defuse whatever tension between feuding tribes to ensure the continuous reign of peace and order in the whole province for the benefit of sustained growth and development that are being enjoyed by most of the populace.